Barbara’s Note: This post deviates from writing help to put out a cry from my client, the author ofYour Mother Called Mother Earth…You’d better call her back!

DON’T BE A SUCKER–The Last Straw

by Gina Murphy Darling aka Mrs. Green, Mrs. Green’s World

Here’s how not to be a sucker. Hopefully after reading this, you will never want to look at, think about, nor consider using a straw again – not ever. You will become straw phobic like me! To put it bluntly, straws really do suck!

The backstory: Americans consume over 500,000,000 million straws EVERY SINGLE DAY. Stop, take a deep breath, and reflect. That’s enough to fill 127 school buses EVERY SINGLE DAY. Could I make that up? Based on the national average of 1.5 straws per person per day, each person in the US will use approximately 38,000 or more straws between the ages of 5 and 65. Without question, straw production is one of THE most energy intensive processes on the planet.

The carbon footprint:

Straws are made from petroleum. Oil has to be drilled to make them. Yikes!

Straws then have to be manufactured, packaged, shipped and distributed. Big carbon footprint.

The harsh realities/impact:

Straws never biodegrade. The earth simply does not know how to absorb them. Remnants of the first straw ever manufactured are somewhere out there – buried in a landfill or in the belly of a bird or sea mammal – but out there.

Straws are not recycled but at this point, one might conclude that once a straw is made, most of the damage is already done.

Some straws are incinerated generating toxic emissions which pollute the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.

Most straws go to landfills, are buried in the ground and leach harmful chemicals into the soil and groundwater. Sick and sad – right?

The worst:

Straws are BIG beach and ocean polluters. They are one of the top 10 items found in beach clean ups.

It is estimated that over a million seabirds and over 100,000 marine mammals and fish, too numerous to count, are killed by plastic pollution each year and straws are a big part of the reason why. Do you want YOUR straw to be the one that ends up stuck in the nose of a magical sea turtle? I think not.

The solutions:

Stop using them. Just say no to straws.

Purchase reusable straws and USE THEM! Mrs. Green’s pick is Glass Dharma because they are glass and you can get some really fun ones or Ukonserve.

For many authors, the hardest part about writing and publishing a book is knowing how to do it correctly. My colleague, author, and writer’s coach Teresa Funke has launched a tool that anyone who’s self-publishing a book will find full of essential information.

Teresa’s all-in-one resource helps you cut through the confusion of self-publishing and save you from making costly mistakes.

This 9-unit online tool walks you through every aspect of producing, publishing, and promoting your book. It features detailed videos, checklists, and worksheets to help you choose the self-publishing path that’s perfect for your project.

Have a Self-publishing Expert at Your Fingertips

Here’s the best part: Once you buy this online tool, you own it, and can use it again and again as you produce new books. It’s like having an expert at your fingertips.

This video reinforces Rev It Up Reading’s key course features, including:
• self-paced, online convenience
• techniques for rapid reading improvement
• how it can help you read more in less time
• encouraging folks to engage with our free trial offer

My experience: I’ve been diving into this program and it’s already helped me “skim” through a nonfiction book I needed to read for a deadline. Yes, it takes practice (and I need plenty more of it), but I’m encouraged by how much faster I’ve been reading with the comprehension I need.

Give Speed Reading as a Gift—Special Offer

It’s graduation time for someone you care about!

You can purchase a practical gift for high school and college students/graduates to increase their success at this special time. Rev It Up Reading is offering gift certificates at only $99. PLUS anyone who purchases a gift certificate for someone else receives a $100 discount off the retail price. Here’s the link to all the details: Purchase a 90-Day Access to the online speed reading course.

Rev It Up Reading is an online course created by America’s #1 Speed Reading Expert, Abby Marks Beale, to help people become the best readers they can be. Go here for complete details.

Did you celebrate National Grammar Day on March 4th? I think it needs to be celebrated all year ’round especially when it comes to business writing.

Here’s why using proper grammar is important:

“Grammar is credibility. If you’re not taking care of the small things, people assume you’re not taking care of the big things.” — Amanda Sturgill, associate professor of communications at Elon University

What’s the best way to recognize Grammar Day? Spend extra effort to make sure your sentences, whether spoken or written, are grammatically correct.

How do you know what’s correct? Let me direct you to my colleague Kathleen Watson’s new reference book, Grammar For People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips From The Ruthless Editor.

This week only, Kathleen is offering it in ebook form for only 99 cents, downloadable on Amazon. This special offer expires at midnight on March 8, so act now!

With holiday gift-giving upon us, what could you give to the writer, student, business professional, or English language learner in your world? I have three excellent suggestions: Word Tripper Tips, Rev It Up Reading, and a new book Metaphors Be With You.

1. Word Tripper Tips

Consider giving the gift of accuracy—a practical subscription program that features Word Tripper of the Week for 52 weeks with the Word Trippers ebook included plus excellent bonuses.

A Word Tripper is a succinct way to explain the difference between word pairs that commonly get confused—affect vs. effect, accept vs. except, and many more. When people know the difference and use the words accurately, they feel more confident in their writing and look smart, too!

Know any English language educators? Suggest this program for helping students grasp our language better. Send them this link. #LearnEnglish #ESL #words #writing

2. Rev It Up Reading Program

Here’s a fabulous speed reading program that’s perfect for busy professionals and those who want to further their studies and careers. It was created by speed reading expert Abby Marks Beale, the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Speed Reading and 10 Days to Faster Reading.

3. Metaphors Be With You: An A to Z Dictionary of History’s Greatest Metaphorical Quotations

Dr. Mardy Grothe presents a new compendium of the English language’s finest metaphors with a meditation on their beauty and necessity. This essential guide for writers, readers, and anybody in love with language breaks new ground with its use of QR codes. These codes take you to a corresponding database on the web, making this work “a living, breathing museum.”

Order it here or through Amazon or Barnes & Noble in time for the holidays.

Words make it possible to say what you mean in writing. But they can step on your success, too.

In your communications, what happens if you use the wrong word in the wrong way—such as ending that important message “with my complements” instead “with my compliments”?

Definitely, you risk raising doubt in the minds of those you want to impress.

Don’t Get Egg on Your Face

You risk embarrassment and a lot more. You can:

Cause confusion, even delays, by sending unclear messages

Waste precious time revising and rewriting to clarify your meaning

Smudge your reputation among co-workers, colleagues, and customers who wonder, “Does she know the difference between ‘compliments’ and ‘complements’—really?”

When pesky pairings (is it “adopt” or “adapt”?) trip you up, you need to know!

Word Trippers Example

Adopt, adapt– “Adopt” means to take as one’s own (e.g., someone else’s child), to choose (e.g., a lifestyle), or to formally accept (e.g., a position or principle). “Adapt” is to adjust to various conditions. “When you adopt a young girl, make it easy for her to adapt to your living environment.”

Turn to Your Ultimate Source for Choosing the Perfect Word When It Really Matters!

Yes, you can find lots of free resources online. But why spend your precious time when you can have a word choice guide at your fingertips—instantly?

No drawn-out searches or wild goose chases. You expedite your time and avoid unknowing mistakes with a subscription toWord Trippers Tips.

By knowing the right word to use in the right place, your professionalism moves up a notch. And by receiving a new Word Tripper each week, you can isolate the latest and learn it well.

With Word Trippers Tips, you’ll get a Word Tripper of the Week (text plus graphic plus audio) in your in-box every week for a full year. Plus the minute you register for Word Trippers Tips, you’ll receive an ebook compilation of 390+ Word Trippers.

Imagine having a resource at your fingertips that allows you to quickly find the right word when it matters most. Then imagine refreshing your knowledge every week so you can confidently use confusing English words correctly.

As a professional, you know people pay attention to your ability to communicate accurately. Others rely on you for that! But having the right word at your fingertips hasn’t always been easy—until now.

Here’s a solution that enhances your excellence every day (not everyday).

Your Word Trippers Tips subscription offers:

An ebook featuring 390+ pesky pairings of words that can trip you up (except vs. accept, advise vs. advice, further vs. farther, to name a few)

A Word Tripper of the Week arriving in your in-box for 52 weeks (see sample on this page) and includes audio

Bonus PDFs on grammar and punctuation tips every quarter

Surprise bonuses on better writing along the way!

Sample of Word Tripper of the Week

Word Tripper of the Week

Build Credibility, Confidence, Competence in the Nuances of English

Finding the right word to use that matters most—

Allows you to be seen as a credible professional

Ensures you’re using the right word properly—a confidence builder

Boosts your reputation for competence and excellence in your world

Your Word Tripper of the Week hones your knowledge and keeps the learning alive. And its usefulness has been time-tested for more than a decade.

How Did Word Trippers Tips Come About?

As an expert editor of nonfiction books and articles, I’ve been on a crusade to curb the misuse of words through Word Trippers. I keep creating Word Tripper of the Week because I know we’ll never run out of words that trip us up.

“You can easily find the words, all listed in alphabetical order, without digging through heavy tomes or clicking around the Web for hours. Choosing the right word for the right circumstance can make all the difference in presenting yourself as a credible writer. Barbara has made it easy with this easy to use reference tool.” – Janie Sullivan

you had a place where writing wasn’t a big hairy monster, but instead was something you easily had the time to do?

you could write with more confidence?

you could easily start a sales page, blog post, article, heck, even a book chapter instead of freezing up over the idea of how to get started?

you had dedicated time each month to focus on your content?

For years, Dawn Shuler, Content Creator Extraordinaire,has been offering writing workshops, coaching, programs, and teleclasses to help business people become stronger writers – and to get things done.

How? Through her Creating Content Club, a monthly membership that gives you access to resources that include:

Just Write! virtual workshops

Teleclass, webinar, and interviews on writing, creativity, or the writing process

15-Minutes-A-Day Writing Challenge (offered twice a year) – For 15 days, we come together and write for 15 minutes. It’s amazing how powerful this can be!

Private Facebook group for community, networking, and support

Private membership site where you’ll find calendar, schedule of events, and recordings of teleclasses, webinars, and interviews (including an interview with Barbara McNichol)

Resources to help you write better from checklists, worksheets, audios, exercises, and more

Open office hours – your opportunity to get answers and support (e.g., feedback on a title, where do you put the comma, etc.)

National Day on Writing is Tuesday, October 20, 2015. This celebration of writing in the U.S. first took place on October 20, 2009, with celebrations every year since. This day is sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Join the National Writing Project, The New York Times Learning Network, and The Teaching Channel in celebrating writing and thinking about why you do it. Check it out at www.ncte.org/dayonwriting